Chapter Ninety-Five: An Important Announcement!

Seeing the look on Yang Jian’s face, Jiang Yuan knew that half of his purpose had already been achieved.

So long as Yang Jian was willing to yield, he would have a chance to win him over completely.

“I know that General Yang’s mother is of the Heavenly race, and I also know that she is imprisoned beneath Peach Mountain,” Jiang Yuan said gravely.

At a time like this, there could be no smile on his face.

Nezha, however, looked utterly astonished. Turning to Yang Jian, he blurted out, “Third Eye, who was that wicked to bury your mother under a mountain? I’ll go and settle the score for you!”

Nezha looked eager and ready to leap into action. This was the perfect chance for a fight.

Then he turned to Jiang Yuan and said, “Old Jiang, lend me your Lamborghini. I’ll drive it straight into that Peach Mountain and smash it to pieces!”

Nezha felt he was being incredibly clever. Not only would he get a fight out of this, he would also trick Old Jiang into lending him the Lamborghini for a spin.

Before Jiang Yuan could even say anything to Nezha, Yang Jian spoke first. “If that magic treasure of yours really worked, I’d already have asked the king to borrow it. Do you think Peach Mountain is an ordinary place?”

Peach Mountain was where the Heavenly race specially kept rebellious souls under suppression. Rumor had it that the Heavenly Emperor had raised ten young Golden Crows there.

Though they were still young, they were after all divine beasts, each no weaker than a True Immortal. Joined together, their power was terrifying.

How could rescuing Yang Jian’s mother possibly be so simple?

“How would you know if you don’t try?” Nezha muttered with a pout.

It looked as though his brilliant scheme to kill two birds with one stone had failed just like that.

Jiang Yuan gave Nezha a sideways glance. Why the hell didn’t you use your own magic treasure to try? Was your treasure not a treasure?

“When do you plan to rescue your mother?” Jiang Yuan asked, looking at Yang Jian.

“When the king no longer needs me,” Yang Jian said firmly.

Since Jiang Yuan had helped him break through to the Golden Immortal realm, he naturally had to honor his promise in return.

But he could not remain by Jiang Yuan’s side for a lifetime. His mother was waiting for him beneath Peach Mountain, and loyalty and filial duty were not easy to reconcile.

“What if I always need General Yang?” Jiang Yuan asked again.

“For three years, I will remain by the king’s side for only three years. After that, no matter what happens, I must go to Peach Mountain and rescue my mother,” Yang Jian said plainly.

“I won’t stop you,” Jiang Yuan said lightly.

Those words moved Yang Jian deeply.

“And after General Yang has rescued his mother?” Jiang Yuan asked.

Yang Jian could only smile bitterly at that. Rescue his mother? He had never dared hope for such a thing. He knew full well what sort of existence the Heavenly race was.

Even the Primordial Heavenly Lord had to show them some respect. What strength did he have to truly bring his mother back?

Still, he did not voice that truth. Instead, he thought for a moment and said, “After I rescue my mother, I’ll probably return to the Shang court. I just don’t know whether the king will still accept me then, after I’ve offended the demon race.”

“Don’t worry about that. Great Shang will always welcome someone like General Yang,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

Since Yang Jian did not believe he could help rescue his mother, Jiang Yuan said no more.

It seemed he would have to make time for another trip to the Heavenly Abyss.

He still did not understand the Heavenly race very well. When the time came, he would ask Shennong about it, and perhaps also inquire whether there was some special method for dealing with the Heavenly race.

“Then I thank Your Majesty,” Yang Jian said with a bright smile.

The news that Jiang Yuan had returned to Chaoge riding the Purple Jade Qilin spread swiftly throughout the realm.

The ministers waited in silence for the king to announce a court audience, for Jiang Yuan had toured the lands of Shang and must surely have learned much during the journey.

At this moment, all of them were waiting for the king’s fury. With so many beneath heaven harboring rebellious intent toward Great Shang, no ruler could possibly tolerate such a thing.

Sure enough, the first thing Jiang Yuan did after returning to the palace was announce a court session.

In the Ninefold Hall of the Chaoge royal palace, Jiang Yuan sat upon the supreme throne, looking down at the civil and military ministers.

“Esteemed ministers, during this time I was absent from Chaoge. Do any of you have matters to report?” Jiang Yuan asked calmly.

He had sent Crown Prince Yin Jiao back to Western Qi merely to steady public sentiment; in truth, he had not made any great decisions regarding Shang’s affairs.

With Jiang Yuan absent, no one dared claim they could settle things with a single word.

So Yin Jiao’s return was nothing more than a figurehead’s return, a mere tool.

After Jiang Yuan spoke, one of the civil officials stepped forward with a report of good tidings. “I have heard that Your Majesty visited the South Sea. After Your Majesty departed, the South Sea, dry for many years, suddenly received a torrential rain.”

“This is truly a blessing for our Great Shang, and a sign of Your Majesty’s divine might!”

Jiang Yuan found that report rather dull. He knew better than anyone why the South Sea had begun to rain.

Was it not because he had beaten them into submission?

“Any other memorials?” Jiang Yuan asked lazily.

“I have a memorial to present,” said Shang Rong.

Since Shang Rong had stepped forward, it meant the matter he wished to discuss was no trivial affair.

Jiang Yuan’s attention sharpened slightly.

“Your Majesty,” Shang Rong said in a steady voice, “among the eight hundred regional lords of Great Shang, more than thirty domains have already risen in rebellion against the dynasty.”

Jiang Yuan had long expected this. If he had returned and not heard of any rebellions, that would have been what he should truly worry about.

It might even mean some larger conspiracy was brewing in secret.

“Is there a mastermind behind it?” Jiang Yuan asked casually.

“No investigation has revealed one. They appear to be acting independently,” Shang Rong replied with a faint shake of the head.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan sneered inwardly.

It was not even certain whether those rebelling lords still controlled their own territories. Perhaps some of them did not even have a choice in the matter.

Maybe a few truly intended to rebel.

But Jiang Yuan was certain that most of them had been forced.

The methods had simply been too covert for Shang Rong to uncover.

“I understand,” Jiang Yuan said with a nod.

Then he looked toward Huang Feihu among the martial generals, who seemed eager to spring into action.

He gave a calm order. “General Huang, the matter of the rebels will be entrusted to you.”

Huang Feihu was overjoyed at the news. It seemed another chance for merit had come his way.

The king had never been stingy when it came to rewards for good service.

“This minister obeys!” Huang Feihu said excitedly.

“Any other matters to report?” Jiang Yuan asked calmly.

What he meant were matters of state. He had no interest in the trivial affairs.

The ministers below also seemed to guess what he was thinking, and for a moment none of them were sure whether what they wished to report was something the king wanted to hear.

Jiang Yuan did not give them much time to think. After waiting a short while and seeing that no one else had stepped forward, he slowly said, “Since none of you have anything more to say, then let me announce a few things.”

At those words, even Shang Rong, who was usually unreadable, showed a flicker of surprise.

If the king had already decided such matters without consulting him, then they would be almost impossible to reverse.

What exactly was the king about to announce?

Shang Rong knew that after making a tour of Great Shang’s borders, the king must now have ideas unlike any he had held before.

Perhaps this would be a major change that could alter the course of Great Shang for centuries to come.